CN1264045C - System and method for laser beam gathering - Google Patents
System and method for laser beam gathering Download PDFInfo
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- CN1264045C CN1264045C CNB021602972A CN02160297A CN1264045C CN 1264045 C CN1264045 C CN 1264045C CN B021602972 A CNB021602972 A CN B021602972A CN 02160297 A CN02160297 A CN 02160297A CN 1264045 C CN1264045 C CN 1264045C
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
- H01S3/10—Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/70483—Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
- G03F7/7055—Exposure light control in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. pulse length control or light interruption
- G03F7/70583—Speckle reduction, e.g. coherence control or amplitude/wavefront splitting
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and system for expanding a laser beam. An illumination system includes a horizontal reflective multiplexer and a vertical reflective multiplexer. The horizontal reflective multiplexer replicates the input beam along a first dimension to form a first multiplexed beam. The vertical reflective multiplexer replicates the first multiplexed beam along a second dimension to form a second multiplexed beam. In one example, the horizontal reflective multiplexer includes a first beam splitter, second beam splitter, and mirror. The vertical reflective multiplexer includes a beam splitter and mirror.
Description
The cross reference of related application
The application requires to enjoy the U.S. Provisional Application NO.60/329 that people such as Augustyn submitted October 18 calendar year 2001, and 757 right of priority is incorporated herein by reference with it in full at this.
The application relates to a not interim by no means jointly U.S. Patent application of owning together 10/208,046 that is equaled to submit on July 31st, 2002 by Kremer, and this application is that its exercise question is " not having extending space coherence's laser beam to expand the system and method for bundle usefulness ".Be incorporated herein it in full for your guidance.
The relevant report of research and development with federation's support
Do not have.
With reference to microfilm appendix/sequential list/form/computer program appendix (on a CD, submit to and on this CD, introduce reference material is arranged)
Do not have.
Technical field
The present invention relates to the system and method that a kind of laser beam expands bundle usefulness.
Background technology
In a lot of the application, the laser beam that laser instrument sends needs to be expanded bundle.In miniature photoetching, be need to expand the bundle laser beam, because illuminator zone of wanting is more much bigger than the cross-sectional area (also being called the Laser emission areal coverage) of the direct light beam that sends from laser instrument usually.For example, one type excimer laser beam has the Laser emission areal coverage of the rectangular area of an about 5mm * 15mm usually.On the other hand, the illuminator in lithography tool may need a regional much bigger illuminated field than 10mm * 120mm magnitude.This just needs the effective expansion bundle of laser beam.
A kind of traditional laser beam expands Shu Fangfa and comprises the use refracting element, for example lens or prism structure.Regrettably, expand bundle with these refracting elements and can increase the size of the spatial coherence unit (coherence cell) of laser instrument, and in final picture, introduced the spot problem.For the increase and the bandwidth problem of the spatial coherence unit size that solves laser instrument, a kind of structure of the compound lens of different length that comprises is used to expand the bundle laser beam.Yet this structure is used for expanding bundle bandwidth is reduced to the laser beam that comprises hundreds of or several thousand space cells, is very expensive with unpractical.
Therefore, need a kind of laser beam that bandwidth is reduced to expand the improved system and method for bundle usefulness.
Summary of the invention
The present invention relates to a kind of method and system that expanded beam is used under the situation that does not increase the spatial coherence unit size.In one embodiment, a kind of illuminator, it comprise a horizontal reflection add a multiplexer and a vertical reflection multiplexer.The multiplexer of this horizontal reflection receives the laser beam of input, and duplicates the laser beam of this input along first dimension, thereby forms first multiplexed beam.This first multiplexed beam is made of a series of fragments (patch) of representing this input beam along the multiplexed duplicate of first dimension.This first multiplexed beam has the areal coverage of an areal coverage first expansion bigger than the input areal coverage.This vertical reflective multiplexer is duplicated this first multiplexed beam along second dimension, thereby forms second multiplexed beam.This second multiplexed beam is made of the duplicate of this first multiplexed beam.This second multiplexed beam has an area even second areal coverage expanded also bigger than the areal coverage of first expansion.
According to further feature of the present invention, this illuminator further comprises an optical subsystem, and it is the unit area of this second multiplexed beam of imaging again, with overlapping and form an output beam.This output beam has an output areal coverage, and this areal coverage covers the illuminated field of this illuminator.
In one embodiment, the multiplexer of this horizontal reflection comprises one first beam splitter, second beam splitter and catoptron.This vertical reflection multiplexer comprise a beam splitter and catoptron.This again the optical subsystem in image-generating unit zone can include but not limited to a microlens array or a diffraction optical element.
According to further embodiment of the present invention, provide a kind of laser beam to expand the method for bundle usefulness.This method comprises two copy steps.First copy step duplicates the light beam of input along first dimension, thereby forms first multiplexed beam with first extended coverage area.Second copy step duplicates this first multiplexed beam along second dimension, thereby forms second multiplexed beam with second extended coverage area.This method also can comprise the unit area of this second multiplexed beam of imaging again, with overlapping and form an output beam.This output beam has an output areal coverage, and this areal coverage covers an illuminated field.
Describe structure and the operation of further aspect of the present invention and advantage and various embodiment thereof in detail hereinafter with reference to accompanying drawing.
Description of drawings
Combined and constitute the accompanying drawing of this instructions part at this, the present invention is described, and further sets forth principle of the present invention, so that those skilled in the relevant art can understand and use the present invention with instructions.
Fig. 1 is a lithographic system sketch according to the embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2 is according to the illuminator sketch among Fig. 1 of the embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 3 A is the operation sketch according to the multiplexer of a horizontal reflection of the embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 3 B is the skeleton view according to the multiplexer of a horizontal reflection of the embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 4 is the vertical reflective multiplexer operation sketch according to the embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 5 is according to a kind of process flow diagram that expands the method used of bundle laser beam of the present invention.
The present invention is described with reference to the drawings.In these accompanying drawings, identical Reference numeral is represented identical or intimate element.In addition, in the accompanying drawings in full accord appears in Reference numeral hereinafter usually and for the first time.
Embodiment
The present invention relates to the system and method that laser beam expands bundle usefulness.The present invention can be used to the illuminator in multiple environment, comprises, but also non-limiting, the laser lighting of photoetching, holography or any other type is used.When reference example is set forth special application of the present invention, should be appreciated that therefore the present invention is not limited.Those skilled in the art will be inspired from the content that provides, and in described scope and have therein in the association area of important use, can further revise, use and specialize the present invention.
Fig. 1 is a kind of sketch of the lithographic system 100 according to the embodiment of the invention.Lithographic system 100 comprises laser instrument 104, illuminator 110, alignment mark plate 112, projection optical system 114 and wafer 116.Laser instrument 104 can be a quasi-molecule or extreme ultraviolet (UV) excimer laser, or known to the laser instrument of other types.Laser instrument 104 gives off laser beam 102.Laser beam 102 is along an irradiation optical axis to illuminator 110.Illuminator 110 expands this input laser beam 102 of bundle and exports a branch of output beam 111 of bundle that expanded to alignment mark plate 112.Thus, illuminator 110 illuminates the zone of an alignment mark plate 112, and it is in the illuminated field of this illuminator.
Light is aligned marking plate 112 transmissions or reflection, and it is decided by material, kind that the wavelength of laser instrument 104 and alignment mark plate 112 are used.Then, the image in an alignment mark plate zone that is illuminated is output in the projection optical system 114.Projection optical system 114 again with illuminated the image projection of alignment mark plate 112 to wafer 116.Projection optical system 114 can be any optical system to the wafer 116 alignment mark plate image projection that is used for.For example, projection optical system 114 can be a series of lens that are used for further dwindling the image of alignment mark plate.In view of the above, lithographic system 110 can be used for scanning and exposure wafer 116, thereby makes the meticulous pattern of designing semiconductor device.
The illuminator that has parallel beam expand device
Fig. 2 is a synoptic diagram of further representing illuminator 110 according to the embodiment of the invention in detail.Illuminator 110 comprises 240, one optical subsystems 260 of multiplexer 220, vertical reflective multiplexer of laser beam with aberration beam expander 210, horizontal reflection.Illuminator 110 is on the optical axis OA that extends between laser instrument 104 and the alignment mark plate 112.Laser instrument 104 sends beam of laser bundle 202 and has a cross-sectional area that is referred to as the Laser emission areal coverage to laser beam with aberration beam expander 210. light beams 202, and the size of this Laser emission areal coverage 205 is decided by the particular types and the characteristic of laser instrument 104.In an example, laser instrument 104 is excimer lasers, and it has a size to be approximately the Laser emission areal coverage 205 of 5mm * 15mm, referring to accompanying drawing 2.
Laser beam with aberration beam expander 210 is used for shaping (shape) light beam 202, thereby forms input beam 212.According to embodiment, laser beam with aberration beam expander 210 comprises a cylindrical lens, and it is used to dwindle areal coverage and the areal coverage that increases on the vertical dimensions (for example Y direction) on the horizontal dimensions (for example X-direction).Example as shown in Figure 2, laser beam with aberration beam expander 210 shaping Laser emission areal coverage 205, thus form the input areal coverage 215 that size is approximately 2.5mm * 30mm.Then, input beam 212 shines in the multiplexer 220 of horizontal reflection along optical axis (OA).Laser beam with aberration beam expander 210 is optionally, and can omit or replace with the uniform beam beam expander according to special application.
The multiplexer 220 of horizontal reflection duplicates input beam 212 along first horizontal dimensions, thereby forms first multiplexed beam 222.This first multiplexed beam 222 has one first to expand bundle areal coverage 225 along this horizontal dimensions (for example X-direction).Will with reference to accompanying drawing 3A and 3B, the structure and the operation of the multiplexer 220 of this horizontal reflection be described further according to embodiments of the invention in the back.
First multiplexed beam 222 then shines in the vertical reflective multiplexer 240 along optical axis OA.Vertical reflective multiplexer 240 is duplicated this first multiplexed beam 222 along second dimension, thereby forms second multiplexed beam 242.This second multiplexed beam 242 has one second to expand bundle areal coverage 245.Vertical reflective multiplexer 240 expands light beams 222 along a vertical dimensions, thereby forms the multiplexed areal coverage 245 of a two dimension.
Second multiplexed beam 242 outputs in the optical subsystem 260.Optical subsystem 260 is the unit area of imaging second multiplexed beam 245 again, to such an extent as to this unit area is overlapping and form output beam 265.Output beam 265 is radiated on the alignment mark plate 112.Output beam 265 has an output areal coverage 265 that covers the illuminated field of this illuminator 110.
In a preferred embodiment, the multiplexer 220 of horizontal reflection duplicates (5X) along this horizontal dimensions five times to input beam 212, thereby forms first multiplexed beam 222.Light beam 222 has the 1-that a size is approximately 12.5mm * 30mm and ties up multiplexed areal coverage 225.As shown in Figure 2, areal coverage 225 is by five part P0, and P1...Pm forms, and wherein m equals 4.These parts are the duplicate of input beam 212.Vertical reflective multiplexer 240 is duplicated first multiplexed beam 222 4 times (4X) along vertical dimensions, thereby forms second multiplexed beam 242.Light beam 242 has the multiplexed areal coverage 245 of a 2-dimension, and its size is approximately 12.5mm * 120mm, as shown in Figure 2.Areal coverage 245 is made up of four zones 280,282,284 and 286.Each regional 280-286 is made up of 5 parts separately respectively.The duplicate that the P0-Pm that 5 part groups among the 280-286 of zone are first multiplexed beam 212 partly organizes.The whole areal coverage 245 of this second multiplexed beam 242 is arrays of 5 * 4 fragments.
It is that 5x or 4x are multiplexed that the present invention is not limited to along level and vertical dimensions.Can produce the duplicate of more or less number.The fragment of more or less number can be used.The present invention is not subjected to the qualification of the element order in the illuminator 110.Give one example, can be placed in the front of the multiplexer 220 of horizontal reflection as selectable vertical reflective multiplexer 240.
Fig. 3 A is according to the structure of the multiplexer 220 of the horizontal reflection of the embodiment of the invention and operation sketch.The multiplexer 220 of horizontal reflection comprises first beam splitter 310, second beam splitter 320 and catoptron 330.In an example, beam splitter 310 and beam splitter 320 are separated a segment distance L along the Z direction.Beam splitter 320 and catoptron 330 also are separated a segment distance L along the Z direction.This distance L is arranged to be approximately equal to Δ P/2, and wherein Δ P is 1.4 times of coherent length of laser instrument 104.Beam splitter 310, beam splitter 320 and catoptron 330 are setovered mutually with respect to input beam 302 angled placements and along directions X, to such an extent as to this input beam 302 by beam splitting and reflection, thereby become a plurality of images of input beam 302 along this horizontal direction X-shaped.
As shown in Figure 3A, input beam 302 is by beam splitter 310 beam splitting, thus first light beam part 304 of formation transmission and the second light beam part 306 of reflection.The first light beam part 304 of transmission is exported as part P0.The second light beam part 306 of reflection is mapped on the beam splitter 320.Thereby this light beam part 306 of beam splitter 320 beam splitting forms the 3rd light beam part 308 of reflection and the 4th light beam part 312 of transmission.The 3rd light beam part 308 that reflects to form is exported as fragment P1.The 4th light beam part 312 of transmission then shines on the catoptron 330, and reflected back into beam splitter 320.This light beam part 312 of beam splitter 320 beam splitting forms the 5th light beam part 314 of transmission and the 6th light beam part 316 of reflection.The 5th light beam part 314 that this transmission forms is exported as fragment P2.This 6th light beam part 316 that reflects to form is passed catoptron 330 and reflected back into beam splitter 320.This light beam part 316 of beam splitter 320 beam splitting forms the 7th light beam part 316 of transmission and the 8th light beam part 322 of reflection.The 7th light beam part 318 of transmission is exported as fragment P3.The 6th light beam part 322 that reflects to form is exported from catoptron 330 reflections and as fragment P4.
Fig. 3 B is the skeleton view of the multiplexer 220 of a horizontal reflection, and expresses beam splitter 310, beam splitter 320 and catoptron 330 layout along the XZ plane.Beam splitter 310, beam splitter 320 and catoptron 330 are arranged to duplicate along directions X the image of input beam 302, thereby form fragment P0-P4.For the sake of clarity, Fig. 3 B only shows fragment P0 and P1.
Fig. 4 is a sketch according to the vertical reflective multiplexer 240 of the embodiment of the invention.Vertical reflective multiplexer 240 comprises beam splitter 410 and catoptron 420.Input beam 402 in vertical reflective multiplexer 240 by beam splitting and reflection, thereby form along a plurality of images of the light beam 402 of vertical dimensions (for example y direction).As shown in Figure 4, input beam 402 is by beam splitter 410 beam splitting, thus the light beam part 404 and the beam reflected part 406 of formation transmission.The light beam part 404 of transmission is as zone 280 outputs.Beam reflected part 406 reflexes to catoptron 420 from beam splitter 410 and then turns back to beam splitter 410.Thereby beam splitter 410 beam splitting light beam parts 406 form the light beam part 408 and the beam reflected part 412 of transmission.The light beam part 408 of transmission is used as zone 282 outputs.Beam reflected part 412 reflexes to catoptron 420 from beam splitter 410, turns back to beam splitter 410 then.410 fens light beams 412 of beam splitter, thereby the light beam part 414 and the beam reflected part 416 of formation transmission.The light beam part 414 of transmission is used as zone 284 outputs.Beam reflected part 416 is through catoptron 420 reflections and as zone 286 outputs.Like this, exported one and had the multiplexed beam that 2-ties up the two dimension of multiplexed areal coverage 245, it comprises vertically Y, the image of the duplicated light beam 402 of vent in the sides of a garment in regional 280-286.
According to further aspect of the present invention, two-dimentional multiplexed areal coverage 245 is by optical subsystem 260 imaging again.Optical subsystem 260 is the unit area of imaging areal coverage 245 again, to such an extent as to this cell image is superimposed.The contrast of any other interference between the so overlapping light that has reduced the composition output beam.Thereby obtain a uniform light intensity in the imaging region again on shining alignment mark plate 112.
Maybe need to use coherent source and its coherence is in the application that is harmful to for the final effect of the device that wherein uses this light source at any imaging device, illuminator 110 is very useful.In an embodiment, illuminator 110 converts coherent laser light source 104 to 10,000 or the incoherent light source of more ripples, makes it crossover then, will interfere sharpness (interference visibility) to be reduced to below 1%.Method
Fig. 5 is the process flow diagram that expands the method for bundle laser beam 500 usefulness according to the present invention (step 510-540).In step 510, reception one has the input beam of an input areal coverage.In step 520, be replicated this input beam along first dimension, have first first multiplexed beam that expands the bundle areal coverage thereby form one.In step 530, duplicate this first multiplexed beam along second dimension, have second second multiplexed beam that expands the bundle areal coverage thereby form one.In step 540, the unit area of this second multiplexed beam of imaging again, thus overlapping and form output beam.This output beam has the output areal coverage that covers an illuminated field.
In illuminator 110 as shown in Figure 2, can implementation method 500 and its composition step 510-540.But the structure of this illuminator 110 just is not used in this method 500 of qualification or its step 510 to 540 as illustration.
Further feature and discussion
The supplementary features that laser beam of the present invention expands the system and method for bundle usefulness will be discussed below.These supplementary features and following argumentation only are used to illustrate embodiments of the invention, and do not limit the present invention.
According to another advantage, the present invention can duplicate by zero magnification and carry out laser beam expansion bundle.This laser beam is part beam splitting and by transmission and reflection, to such an extent as at first in the horizontal direction, then in vertical direction by further beam splitting and reflection, produce a plurality of images of this light beam.In addition, if desired, can be at first in vertical direction, this light beam of beam splitting in the horizontal direction then.
In one embodiment, customize a kind of system and method that the bundle laser beam is used that expands, to regulate spatial coherence length, wherein, at first use a laser beam with aberration beam expander, expand this light beam of bundle by beam splitter and reverberator then, to such an extent as to produce the cell image of a plurality of spatial coherences, but magnification does not change.In addition, between each light beam, produce a phase shift bigger, to such an extent as to the image of Xing Chenging all is incoherent with respect to additional beam once more than vertical coherent length of this laser instrument.A plurality of images of gained are directed to or the microlens array or the lenslet of diffraction optical element then.Lenslet that each is such and then imaging are to such an extent as to all picture overlappings have the net effect that reduces any other interference between the light beam.Thereby obtain even light intensity at imaging region again.
The length of the reflection configuration of described level and vertical reflective multiplexer allow they use as following table 1 a listed approximate extents be 10 pms (pm) to the very little laser instrument of the bandwidth between the 0.1pm, and the vertical coherence who destroys this laser instrument.Table 1 is listed 1.14 times of coherent length values for various bandwidth, and concerning Δ P, bandwidth is represented a lower bound; These are only as an example of lithography tool, and do not limit the present invention:
Table 1
| Bandwidth (pm) | Δp＝1.14×λ 2/Δλ(mm) | Δp＝1.14×λ 2/Δλ(in) |
| 10 | 4.246 | .167 |
| 5 | 8.493 | .334 |
| 1 | 42.464 | 1.672 |
| 0.5 | 84.928 | 3.344 |
| 0.2 | 212.232 | 8.356 |
| 0.1 | 424.639 | 16.718 |
Before how discussion uses above-mentioned data, check that the size of spatial coherence unit is useful.Each unit is the unit that is independent of other basically in the output beam of laser instrument.According to the present invention, the size of unit can be increased (or reducing) at both direction.In a preferred example, each unit size equates.Following step is to introduce optical path difference between laser beam, to overcome temporal coherence.If the laser beam of sending from lasing light emitter 104 is approximately vertical direction 15mm and horizontal direction 5mm, will have approximate 500 unit ((15/.17)) * (5/1.2) so).These sizes are to draw on the basis of the excimer laser of the minimum bandwidth with a 10pm.When bandwidth reduces, temporal coherence will increase.If temporal coherence with 2 or the higher factor increase, so synthetic light beam stride is with difference.
For the above description of illuminator 110, this laser beam at first be evenly or distortion ground increase or reduce, to obtain to be close to identical unit size.So the device that reflects in narrow direction (N) (for example horizontal direction) goes up with an air makes light beam multiplex multiplexing.Multiplexed once more on wide direction (for example vertical direction) then.Total number of unit be by
The CxNxW=T decision
Wherein, the number of unit in the C=laser beam
N=is along the number of narrow direction laser fragment
W=is along the number of wide direction laser fragment
The total number of T=unit
Work as C=500, N=5, T=10000 during W=4.
The size of illuminated field will be 5b in the horizontal direction in the above-mentioned example
hm
h, be 4b in vertical direction
vm
v
Wherein b is the original beam size on both direction, and m is a magnification.
In case this unit size and beam sizes and scope are determined by laser manufacturers, will make best design.This is included in the scope of microlens array size on the both direction.
Consider an example, the multiplexer of horizontal reflection (5xMUX) has fluorine calcium (CaF
2) beam splitter.In order to demarcate purpose, Δ P=1.14 λ
2/ Δ λ supposes not absorb A, and the first reflection MUX is 5 times, with transmission ratio T1, T2, T3, T4 describes this two beam splitters, and TM describes catoptron with the specular transmittance value, below table 2 illustrated that the intensity in transmission of the transmission T of this MUX and reflection R and relative input beam intensity exports Tput and concern as follows:
Table 2
| T | R | T put | ||
| T 1 | .2 | .8 | .2 | |
| T 2 | .75 | .25 | .2 | |
| T 3 | .333 | .666 | .2 | |
| T 4 | .5 | .5 | .2 | |
| T m | 1.0 | .2 | ||
| Efficient= | 1.0 | |||
| Absorb A if add | ||||
| R | T(1-(A+R) | T put | A | |
| T 1 | .8 | .19 | .19 | .01 |
| T 2 | .25 | .745 | .20 | .005 |
| T 3 | .666 | .324 | .185 | .01 |
| T 4 | .5 | .495 | .181 | .005 |
| T m | .96 | .176 | .04 | |
| .932 efficient | ||||
In the above description, do not comprise CaF
2The absorption of beam splitter and scattering.In an example, about 20 * 6 * 3mm is thick for this beam splitter flat board (supposing a front surface coating).Because it is subjected to 4 times and stops, so added losses will be 1-.9975 1.2=1.-993=003 or .3%.This means that absorption value will increase about 1/4.On the surface, surface scattering contribution .005, its result is 1-.9985=1.961=.04, so this efficient will be .932x.993 * .961=.89.
Consider that a vertical reflective multiplexer (4xMUX) is arranged to be orthogonal to the output beam of this 5xMUX.Its coordinate system is to define like this: in the X-axis sensing paper, " Y " axially goes up and " Z " axial right side.
The additional optical distance length increment that this 4xMUX must introduce with respect to a Δ P of described 5xMUX.Here, Δ P will be 5.This structure (not being in proportion) will be made up of a beam splitter flat board and a catoptron.Suppose not absorb A, when 5X, the beam splitting flat board has transmission ratio T1, and T2, T3, catoptron have transmission ratio T
MBelow table 3 the transmission T of this 4 * MUX and reflection R have been described and with respect to the intensity in transmission output Tput of the intensity of this input beam:
Table 3
| T | R | T put | ||
| T 1 | .25 | .75 | .25 | |
| T 2 | .333 | .666 | .2 | |
| T 3 | .5 | .5 | .25 | |
| T m | 8- | 1 | .25 | |
| Add and absorb A (coating is only arranged) | ||||
| A | R | T | T put | |
| T 1 | .01 | .75 | .24 | .24 |
| T 2 | .01 | .666 | .324 | .238 |
| T 3 | .005 | .5 | .46 | .237 |
| T m | .02 | .98 | 1.0 | .235 |
| .95 | ||||
125 * 15 * 10 scattering .995 wherein
6=.97
CaF
2.9975＝.9975；
Efficient .95x.97.x.9975=0.92; Especially, 5xMUX efficient=0.89,4xMUX efficient=.92 and
Total efficiency=0.82.
Can find out that from description in an embodiment, the length of the integral body of this 5xMUX is approximately Δ P to 5xMUX.For this 4xMUX, in an embodiment, its entire length is 2.5 Δ P.Air distance between supposition zero catoptron thickness and this two MUX, people can estimate this minimum total length now.Below, table 4 has been listed the laser bandwidth value, the millimeter of coherent length value Δ P and inch value, and the millimeter of the millimeter of the horizontal MUX length of 4x and inch value and total length and inch value:
Table 4
| Bandwidth | Δp(mm) | Δ p (inch) | Vertical MUX | Vertically+horizontal MUX | ||
| Mm 2.5 * Δ p length | In2 .5 * Δ p length | Mm 2.5 * Δ p+ Δ p length overall | In2 .5 * Δ p+ Δ p length overall | |||
| 10 | 4.25 | .17 | 10.63 | 0.43 | 14.88 | 0.60 |
| 5 | 8.5 | .33 | 21.25 | 0.83 | 29.75 | 1.16 |
| 1 | 42.46 | 1.67 | 106.15 | 4.18 | 148.65 | 5.85 |
| .5 | 84.93 | 3.34 | 212.33 | 8.35 | 297.26 | 11.69 |
| .2 | 212.23 | 8.36 | 530.58 | 20.90 | 742.81 | 29.26 |
| .1 | 424.64 | 16.72 | 1061.60 | 41.80 | 1486.24 | 58.52 |
Conclusion
Embodiments of the invention just illustrate here.Indicate elsewhere, these embodiment are explanations of making for as the purpose of illustration, rather than limit.Other embodiment may be covered by the present invention.So embodiment is clearly for a person skilled, so width of the present invention and scope should not limited by the illustrative example of any above-mentioned explanation, its protection domain should be limited by following claim and equivalent term thereof.
Claims (17)
1. a laser beam expands the system of restrainting usefulness, comprising:
The multiplexer of one horizontal reflection, the multiplexer of described horizontal reflection duplicates an input beam along first dimension, has first multiplexed beam of spatial coherence unit area thereby form;
One vertical reflective multiplexer, described vertical reflective multiplexer bundle duplicates described first multiplexed beam along second dimension, has second multiplexed beam of spatial coherence unit area thereby form; With
Optical subsystem, this optical subsystem be described second multiplexed beam of imaging again, makes that all spatial coherence unit areas are overlapping basically.
2. the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first dimension and described second dimension are extended along first and second directions separately, and described first and second directions are biased one and are approximately 90 ° angle.
3. system according to claim 1, the multiplexer of wherein said horizontal reflection duplicates this input beam 5 times along this first dimension, thereby forms this first multiplexed beam.
4. as system as described in the claim 3, wherein said vertical reflective multiplexer is duplicated this first multiplexed beam 4 times along this second dimension, thereby forms this second multiplexed beam.
5. system according to claim 1, the multiplexer of wherein said horizontal reflection comprises:
One first beam splitter, one second beam splitter and a catoptron, wherein said second beam splitter is set between described first beam splitter and the described catoptron.
6. as system as described in the claim 5, wherein said first beam splitter, described second beam splitter and described catoptron are biasings mutually, so that the described input beam of the described first beam splitter beam splitting becomes first light beam part of a transmission and the second light beam part of a reflection, second beam portion of the described reflection of the described second beam splitter beam splitting is divided into the 3rd light beam part of a reflection and the 4th light beam part of a transmission, and the 4th light beam part of the described transmission of described mirror reflects, so that this first multiplexed beam comprises the first light beam part by described transmission, three fragments that the 3rd light beam part of described reflection and the 4th light beam of described transmission partly constitute.
7. system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first beam splitter, described second beam splitter and described catoptron are biasings mutually, so that the described input beam of the described first beam splitter beam splitting becomes first light beam part of a transmission and the second light beam part of a reflection, second beam portion of the described reflection of the described second beam splitter beam splitting is divided into the 3rd light beam part of a reflection and the 4th light beam part of a transmission, and described catoptron is got back to the 4th beam portion sub reflector of described transmission on described second beam splitter, and
The 4th beam portion of the described transmission of the further beam splitting of wherein said second beam splitter is divided into the light beam part of one the 5th transmission and one the 6th beam reflected part and described mirror reflects and returns the 6th beam portion of described reflection and assign on described second beam splitter; And
The 6th beam portion of the described reflection of the further beam splitting of wherein said second beam splitter is divided into the 7th light beam part of a transmission and the 8th light beam part of a reflection, and the 8th light beam part of the described reflection of described mirror reflects, so that this first multiplexed beam comprises 5 fragments that the 8th light beam by the 7th light beam part of the 5th light beam part of the 3rd light beam part of first light beam of described transmission part, described reflection, described transmission, described transmission and described reflection partly constitutes.
8. system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said vertical reflective multiplexer comprises:
One the 3rd beam splitter; With
The catoptron that one phase time is provided with in described the 3rd beam splitter so that described first multiplexed beam by described the 3rd beam splitter be beamed into by transmission with the reflected beams part, and described reflected beams is partly by described mirror reflects; And
Wherein this second multiplexed beam partly is made up of described transmitted light beam part and the folded light beam by described mirror reflects through described the 3rd beam splitter transmission.
9. as system as described in the claim 8, wherein said first multiplexed beam is beamed into light beam part and three beam reflected parts of three transmissions by described the 3rd beam splitter, and described three folded light beams are partly by described mirror reflects; Wherein, this second multiplexed beam comprises by the light beam part of described three transmissions that see through described the 3rd beam splitter and four zones that constituted by one of three folded light beam parts of described mirror reflects.
10. the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical subsystem comprises a microlens array or a diffraction optical element.
11. the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein this input beam has the input areal coverage that is approximately 2.5mm * 30mm, and this first multiplexed beam has the multiplexed areal coverage that a 1-who is approximately 12.5mm * 30mm ties up; This second multiplexed beam has the multiplexed areal coverage that a 2-who is approximately 12.5mm * 120mm ties up.
12. the illuminator that illumination alignment mark plate is used in lithography tool, it comprises:
The multiplexer of one horizontal reflection, the multiplexer of described horizontal reflection duplicates an input beam along first dimension, has first multiplexed beam of spatial coherence unit area thereby form;
One vertical reflective multiplexer, described vertical reflective multiplexer is duplicated described first multiplexed beam along second dimension, thereby forms second multiplexed beam with spatial coherence unit area along this alignment mark plate of optical axis directive; With
Optical subsystem, this optical subsystem be described second multiplexed beam of imaging again, makes that all spatial coherence unit areas are overlapping basically.
13. as illuminator as described in the claim 12, it further comprises:
One laser beam with aberration beam expander, it receives light and the received light of shaping that is sent by lasing light emitter, thereby forms described input beam.
14. one kind is expanded the method that a branch of input laser beam of bundle is used, it comprises:
(1) duplicates this input laser beam along first dimension, have first first multiplexed beam that expands the bundle areal coverage thereby form one;
(2) duplicate this first multiplexed beam along second dimension, have second second multiplexed beam that expands the bundle areal coverage thereby form one;
(3) again the spatial coherence unit area of described second multiplexed beam of imaging with overlapping and form output beam.
15. method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first copy step comprise the light in repeatedly beam splitting and this input laser beam of reflection, thereby form a plurality of fragments in this first multiplexed beam.
16. method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said second copy step comprise the light in repeatedly beam splitting and this first multiplexed beam of reflection, thereby form a plurality of zones in this second multiplexed beam.
17. method as claimed in claim 14 further comprises and utilizes this output beam alignment mark plate that throws light on.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US32975701P | 2001-10-18 | 2001-10-18 | |
| US60/329,757 | 2001-10-18 |
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| CN1264045C true CN1264045C (en) | 2006-07-12 |
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| CNB021602972A Expired - Lifetime CN1264045C (en) | 2001-10-18 | 2002-10-18 | System and method for laser beam gathering |
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| US (2) | US6819402B2 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP1304595A1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP4297674B2 (en) |
| KR (1) | KR100762751B1 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1264045C (en) |
| SG (1) | SG111088A1 (en) |
| TW (1) | TW578347B (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6819402B2 (en) * | 2001-10-18 | 2004-11-16 | Asml Holding N.V. | System and method for laser beam expansion |
| US6801299B2 (en) * | 2002-07-31 | 2004-10-05 | Asml Holding N.V. | System for laser beam expansion without expanding spatial coherence |
| FR2869306B1 (en) * | 2004-04-23 | 2006-09-15 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING BI-DIMENSIONAL PERIODIC STRUCTURES IN A POLYMERIC ENVIRONMENT |
| US7255747B2 (en) * | 2004-12-22 | 2007-08-14 | Sokudo Co., Ltd. | Coat/develop module with independent stations |
| US8445217B2 (en) | 2007-09-20 | 2013-05-21 | Vanderbilt University | Free solution measurement of molecular interactions by backscattering interferometry |
| WO2011156713A1 (en) * | 2010-06-11 | 2011-12-15 | Vanderbilt University | Multiplexed interferometric detection system and method |
| US9562853B2 (en) | 2011-02-22 | 2017-02-07 | Vanderbilt University | Nonaqueous backscattering interferometric methods |
| US8830587B2 (en) | 2011-05-31 | 2014-09-09 | Corning Incorporated | Method and apparatus for combining light sources in a pump laser array |
| US8861082B2 (en) | 2012-02-21 | 2014-10-14 | Corning Incorporated | Method and apparatus for combining laser array light sources |
| US9273949B2 (en) | 2012-05-11 | 2016-03-01 | Vanderbilt University | Backscattering interferometric methods |
| US8599485B1 (en) | 2012-05-25 | 2013-12-03 | Corning Incorporated | Single-emitter etendue aspect ratio scaler |
| US8842369B2 (en) | 2012-11-19 | 2014-09-23 | Corning Incorporated | Method and apparatus for combining light sources |
| US20150070489A1 (en) * | 2013-09-11 | 2015-03-12 | Microsoft Corporation | Optical modules for use with depth cameras |
| EP3247988A4 (en) | 2015-01-23 | 2018-12-19 | Vanderbilt University | A robust interferometer and methods of using same |
| US10627396B2 (en) | 2016-01-29 | 2020-04-21 | Vanderbilt University | Free-solution response function interferometry |
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| JPH01287924A (en) | 1988-03-30 | 1989-11-20 | Hitachi Ltd | Coherent control exposure device |
| JPH0218518A (en) * | 1988-07-07 | 1990-01-22 | Think Lab Kk | Light beam splitter |
| DE4124311A1 (en) | 1991-07-23 | 1993-01-28 | Zeiss Carl Fa | ARRANGEMENT FOR COHERENCE REDUCTION AND BEAM FORMING A LASER BEAM |
| US5224200A (en) | 1991-11-27 | 1993-06-29 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Department Of Energy | Coherence delay augmented laser beam homogenizer |
| GB9324589D0 (en) * | 1993-11-30 | 1994-01-19 | Univ Southampton | Beam shaping device |
| US5453814A (en) | 1994-04-13 | 1995-09-26 | Nikon Precision Inc. | Illumination source and method for microlithography |
| US5631721A (en) * | 1995-05-24 | 1997-05-20 | Svg Lithography Systems, Inc. | Hybrid illumination system for use in photolithography |
| JPH1041225A (en) * | 1996-07-24 | 1998-02-13 | Canon Inc | Illuminating equipment and projection aligner using the same |
| US5896188A (en) * | 1996-11-25 | 1999-04-20 | Svg Lithography Systems, Inc. | Reduction of pattern noise in scanning lithographic system illuminators |
| US5861991A (en) * | 1996-12-19 | 1999-01-19 | Xerox Corporation | Laser beam conditioner using partially reflective mirrors |
| JP3462053B2 (en) * | 1997-09-30 | 2003-11-05 | 株式会社半導体エネルギー研究所 | Beam homogenizer, laser irradiation apparatus, laser irradiation method, and semiconductor device |
| AU8882698A (en) * | 1998-08-20 | 2000-03-14 | Orbotech Ltd. | Laser repetition rate multiplier |
| JP2001338868A (en) * | 2000-03-24 | 2001-12-07 | Nikon Corp | Illuminance-measuring device and aligner |
| US6819402B2 (en) * | 2001-10-18 | 2004-11-16 | Asml Holding N.V. | System and method for laser beam expansion |
| US6801299B2 (en) | 2002-07-31 | 2004-10-05 | Asml Holding N.V. | System for laser beam expansion without expanding spatial coherence |
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2002
- 2002-10-16 US US10/270,561 patent/US6819402B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-10-17 TW TW091123954A patent/TW578347B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2002-10-18 CN CNB021602972A patent/CN1264045C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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- 2002-10-18 JP JP2002305001A patent/JP4297674B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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| KR100762751B1 (en) | 2007-10-02 |
| JP4297674B2 (en) | 2009-07-15 |
| US7006198B2 (en) | 2006-02-28 |
| US20050083505A1 (en) | 2005-04-21 |
| CN1434319A (en) | 2003-08-06 |
| US20030117606A1 (en) | 2003-06-26 |
| KR20030032889A (en) | 2003-04-26 |
| TW578347B (en) | 2004-03-01 |
| EP1304595A1 (en) | 2003-04-23 |
| JP2003209051A (en) | 2003-07-25 |
| US6819402B2 (en) | 2004-11-16 |
| SG111088A1 (en) | 2005-05-30 |
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